Customer Service Phone Skills Training

Personal Accountability – What Does it Look Like?

Monica Werner — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:45:01 +0000

What does Accountability (or lack of) look like in today’s workplace? Here is a pretty good example: I was having some issues with my car insurance—apparently some miscommunication had taken place between my agent and the insurance company. The reason I know this is because every time I tried to fix the problem, I would call one of them, and they would tell me how the problem was the other party’s fault, and that I needed to call them to fix it. Back and forth it went until my insurance was almost cancelled. By that point, it didn’t really matter. I had already found another company, got a better quote and went with them. I love those Progressive commercials—Flo is my new insurance girl! In the end neither party would take responsibility and what happened? Both of them lost a customer over it!

Personal Accountability means taking ownership of a problem when it comes to you, whether it is over the phone, via email, or face to face. The following questions should not cross your mind, and definitely not while the customer is on the phone or standing in front of you:
• Whose fault is this?
• Who dropped the ball?
• Why do I have to deal with this? It’s not my fault.
• Why don’t customers follow instructions?

Instead, try asking yourself questions like:
• What can I do?
• Who else can help?
• What options are possible?

If either the agent or the company had even tried to help me, I would have hung in there for a while. People want to be loyal customers, we just need to make it easier for them!

If you want your reps to be more accountable, to focus on the big picture and what they can personally do to help your company deliver the best possible service, every single time check out our Customer ServicePLUS class. Let us help you “PLUS it up” and bring your customer service to the next level!

Putting the “Home” in Homewood Suites – a tale of Service Superheroes

Suellen Richardson — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:41:11 +0000

I nearly panicked during my recent eleven-day business trip to Syracuse, New York. I arrived to check in at the Homewood Suites and was told I was a month early for the reservation! And to make matters worse, it was graduation weekend at Syracuse University so the hotel was sold out for part of the days I needed. I envisioned spending my entire evening trying to find a hotel that was not already sold out and hoping it would not be an hour away due to graduation.

Thanks to the amazing efforts of Customer Service Superheroes, Rich Cifra and Darren Mitchell, after 30 extremely stressful minutes I had a beautiful suite for 10 days and they assured me they would watch for a cancellation for the additional day. Then, even before there was a cancellation, Rich came up with a creative solution and secured my room for the full 11 days.

I asked Rich and Darren “Why did you work so hard to find a room for me?” Rich explained, “Because it’s what we do. We are guest oriented. For example, if a guest checks in late and missed dinner, we offer to take food (from the evening reception) to their room. Whether it’s a ride to the airport, a wakeup call or restaurant recommendations, we take care of it! We have lots of repeat guests and it’s because of our customer service.” Darren agreed and credits his Front Desk Supervisor, Jillian Mooney, who “…teaches us very well to handle guest accommodations. It all helps with guest loyalty.”

And speaking of guest oriented, the hotel had balloons and refreshments in the lobby to celebrate with the guests that were there for SU graduation weekend and even had a long stemmed red rose for the ladies on Mother’s Day.

My story has a happy ending! So if you are headed to Syracuse in the future, the Homewood Suites by Hilton is definitely the place you’ll want to call “home”. And please tell them I said “hello!”

Suellen’s Customer Service Supherheroes, (from left) Darren Mitchell and Rich Cifra

Positive Interactions Make A Difference

PhonePRO — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:10:01 +0000

Let’s take a look at what a positive consumer interaction with your company phone representative can do. First, 8 out of 10 Americans say they would pay more if it meant they’d be guaranteed a positive experience when purchasing a product or service. 40% of consumers say that they spend more money with businesses where they feel they’re treated with respect and appreciation, while 73% of those polled said they had personally given up on a brand completely because of rude, incompetent staff. The numbers tell the story. Can you remember a situation where you have felt ignored or passed along from staff member to staff member, only to finally hang up in frustration? And surely you have also had a positive experience with a telephone representative-can you recall what it was that made it so successful? PhonePRO has invested a great deal of time in studying and quantifying those interactions, so we can bring the very best training to your staff. We really understand how great service works-and what happens when it doesn’t. Let us help your employees learn the concrete skills necessary to handle any communication with poise, courtesy, and total confidence.